


probably should have listened to her declaration

by a financial diuretic (Shame_Account)



Series: i've seen 2 whole episodes of Suits don't ask me how lawyering works [4]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Modern Era, Office drama, Pre-Slash, as i scramble to provide interpersonal conflicts to hide the lack of any actual Law Work Happening, but finally moving closer to the actual pairing, mentions of Jefferson/Madison, slowly more and more characters will be drawn into this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 01:56:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6592048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shame_Account/pseuds/a%20financial%20diuretic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <b>[6:46 am] Jefferson is here.</b>
</p><p>[6:46 am] why</p><p>
  <b>[6:47 am] He does work here. I'm just warning you.</b>
</p><p>[6:47 am] Does he though? Does he really?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

[9:03 pm] Is there such thing as a graceful re-entry into normal human interaction once you've sent your boss a panicked text asking for a day off because it's raining?

**_[9:03 pm]_ _You know you sent this to me, right?_ **

[9:03 pm] Yeah, I asked my roommate the same question and he gave me some compassionate bullshit about how everyone needs a break sometimes and you'd probably understand, so I decided to just cut out the middleman because really, it's your opinion that matters here.

[9:04 pm] Please consider this conversation as happening Behind The Scenes, I am asking you if it's gonna be weird interacting at work from now on.

[9:04 pm] Not that we interact that much.

[9:04 pm] Also it wasn't just the rain, I'm not going to miss work every time it rains.

**_[9:04 pm] How the hell do you text so fast_ **

[9:04 pm] Lots of practice

**_[9:05 pm] Your roommate sounds smart. Give me a second, some of us can't beam our thoughts directly from brain to phone._ **

[9:05 pm] Standing by, sir.

**_[9:10 pm] You're a diligent worker. To a worrying extent. You have literally showed up at the office before with a fever and no voice and just quarantined yourself at your desk. I don't think I've ever seen you try to sneak out early. If you tell me you can't come in, I pretty much assume you are dying._ **

**_[9:10 pm] So please understand that I am not asking this out of concern for your *work*: Are you okay?_ **

[9:21 pm] I will be? Fullest disclosure I can give without TMI'ing you I hope: I'm on meds for anxiety / PTSD / general Bullshit and my refill got delayed from Friday to today so it was three days of nothing and then that storm hit early this morning and it all just kind of snowballed and generally fucked me up.

[9:21 pm] And here is where I would put gratitude, if I was a normal human being who knew how to express that emotion. Is gratitude an emotion? I am pretty sure I am feeling it. "Thank you" just sounds inadequate.

[9:21 pm] I should be good to come in tomorrow but I might still be kind of weird. Got the meds today, feeling the placebo effect and actual effect race each other to my brain is always a trip and a half.

**_[9:22 pm] Come in if you want but please don't feel obligated._ **

[9:22 pm] I promise not to cause a Scene.

**_[9:22 pm] That is not what I'm worried about._ **

[9:22 pm] Can I wear headphones?

**_[9:22 pm] Yes._ **

[9:22 pm] I'll be there.

* * *

**_[6:46 am] Jefferson is here._ **

[6:46 am] why

**_[6:47 am] He does work here. I'm just warning you._ **

[6:47 am] Does he though? Does he really?

**_[6:47 am] Ostensibly. Occasionally. I think he thinks someone has to use up all that sick leave you ignore._ **

[6:48 am] Yeah he was definitely "sick" and not out "networking" at all the rich people night clubs.

[6:48 am] Two entirely separate layers of bullshit requiring two entirely separate layers of finger quotes.

[6:48 am] Is it too late to change my mind about coming in today

**_[6:48 am] No. That's why I texted you._ **

[6:48 am] Good call. Can't promise there wouldn't be a fistfight.

**_[6:49 am] I'll let you know if he cuts out early._ **

[6:49 am] Thanks

[6:49 am] Is that really an "if"??

* * *

**_[7:04 am] Thomas Jefferson is concerned about you. I don't know how to process this fact but I thought it might baffle/entertain you to know._ **

[7:04 am] he's what

**_[7:04 am] He asked where you were. Schuyler said "out sick" and he said, and I quote, "Fuck, is he DYING? Is he DEAD?"_ **

[7:05 am] holy shit

**_[7:05 am] Your arch enemy being afraid for your health might be a sign to take things a little easier?_ **

[7:05 am] I was thinking more that it might be a sign of the coming apocalypse

[7:06 am] Speaking of actual legitimate use of sick days, is Madison back yet? He is the only effective peacekeeper in the office, I cannot tell you how many times I almost punched Lee in the face last week.

[7:06 am] Granted a lot of them were on Friday.

**_[7:06 am] He's still out. Jefferson thinks he'll be back this week._ **

[7:06 am] Poor guy.

[7:06 am] Mind you I am not referring to him being sick, if anyone ever said "poor guy" about me in that context I would fight them. I meant "poor guy" bc he's dating J e f f e r s o n.

[7:07 am] He has to live. With J e f f e r s o n.

[7:07 am] And work! With JEFFERSON!

**_[7:07 am] His resilience is a wonder to us all._ **

[7:07 am] Legitimately tho

* * *

**_[9:34 am] I think Schuyler and Jefferson are going to fight. Like actually fight._ **

[9:34 am] hold them apart until i get there i want to see

**_[9:34 am] You mean you want to join._ **

[9:34 am] you know me too well

[9:34 am] what did he do

**_[9:35 am] Asked if they could go over case files together and pretty much admitted he hasn't been reading any of the memos that have gone out since he's been gone._ **

[9:35 am] so he basically wants her to get his shit together so he doesn't have to

**_[9:35 am] Bingo_ **

[9:35 am] is there blood yet

**_[9:35 am] Somehow, no_ **

**_[9:36 am] You're right we really do need Madison around. He's like a buffer or something. Makes Jefferson more palatable by association._ **

[9:36 am] Exactly!

**_[9:37] Burr's out too so there isn't even an aura of disapproval emanating from his desk to guilt everyone into behaving._ **

[9:38] Okay 1, thank you?? i thought I was imagining that aura??? and 2, what the hell, we're dropping like flies?

**_[9:38] He took a vacation day. Said his daughter wanted to bring him to school for show and tell to talk about being a lawyer._ **

[9:39] wtffff that is the most weirdly adorable mental image i never knew i needed in my life until this very second

**_[9:40] You're completely right but don't ever tell him I said so._ **

* * *

[11:45 am] what's happening now?

**_[11:45 am] ?_ **

[11:45 am] i was enjoying the liveblogging

**_[11:46 am] I was just about to text you, actually. Jefferson asked if he could take work home after lunch._ **

[11:46 am] Oh wow I was honestly joking when I said that wasn't an "if." On his first day back? seriously??

**_[11:46 am] He said he wants to keep Madison company._ **

[11:46 am] How sweet. And fake.

**_[11:46 am] I said yes._ **

[11:47 am] Nice. I'll be there at like 12:35 then?

**_[11:47 am] I'll warn you if he sticks around._ **

[11:47 am] Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

He gets to work and Angelica looks worried. Which is – a completely different sort of revelation than Thomas Jefferson being worried, a totally separate punch in the gut.

They look at each other for a second. She doesn't ask how he's doing, and he doesn't offer any information, and that is the end of the non-exchange. Angelica shakes her head and the worried look slides off her face. "Do you have a sixth sense that tells you how to avoid Thomas Jefferson?"

Alex grins. "Something like that."

"Is it contagious? Could you pass it on to me?"

He shrugs guiltily and, because this is Angelica, decides to admit to his source: "Washington may have warned me away. Presumably to prevent a bloodbath."

"There almost was one."

"So I heard."

Which is when Lee gets back (late) from his lunch break and bounds forward to shake Alex's hand and ask where he's been, and Alex –

– doesn't wrench his hand away, somehow, rattles off some bullshit about burning himself out, and retreats to his desk to pointedly put his headphones on.

Inevitably, Lee will, at some point, choose to ignore the headphones, but that's fine, because Alex is already thinking about the potential entertainment value of pretending to ignore Lee.

He opens his laptop. He gets to work. (Back to work. He's been working at home, all day. Self-debating on whether admitting to Washington that he did _nothing_ yesterday would be honesty or oversharing and decided on the latter.)

Everything is a little too – it's a little _too_. Too loud and too quiet and too bright and too unfocused and too fast and too slow. But it's better than yesterday. That disconnect from his own mind and body is gone. He's _here_ , he's _now_ , everything is _real_ if a bit cacophonous.

He doesn't mean to stay late.

It's not even late, not _really_ late, not as late as he's stayed plenty of times before – he just kind of loses himself in the routine of Being At The Office, forgets the day was already half over when he got here, and then he looks up and it's 6:30.

Which even he has to admit is just... not necessary. It's not like he's got a case. It's not like they've got clients lining up out the door – it's not like they've got _clients_. Half the work he's been doing all day is just PR fluff trying to change that fact. (He doesn't mind. He's _good_ at PR fluff and it's nice to have extra shit to do between cases. It's especially nice to have extra shit to do for a boss who insists on paying him for it, which he's not going to _argue_ with.)

He throws a wadded up piece of paper at Angelica, who looks up with a start. "Alex, what the hell?"

"Okay, it's 6:30 pm, _I'm_ sitting here trying to find a more compelling way to say 'Hey, you _could_ go with a huge law firm that has scads of identical highly polished lawyers waiting to spring out of every back room, but we're cheaper and we _believe_ in you!' What's your excuse for still being here?"

Angelica glares at him, and turns back to her computer. "Trying to find a more compelling way to say 'Hey, dad, I _could_ be working for a huge law firm that takes on scads of identically guilty clients and spits out paychecks like a money tree, but I _believe_ in this tiny firm that took on three pro bono cases last month alone.'"

Alex winces. "Okay, you win."

Which is when Washington's office door opens. He stops in his tracks, blinks at them both. "You're still here?"

"Just leaving," Alex says hurriedly, and starts packing up his laptop and papers. The last thing he needs is a face to face conversation about _taking it easier_. "See you both tomorrow."

He all but sprints out the door, suddenly unable to look at either of them.

* * *

George and Schuyler both stare at the door for a few seconds after Alex leaves.

Schuyler breaks the stillness first, shuts her own laptop and starts packing her bag.

George frowns. "Was it something I said?"

"I don't think so. He gets like this."

She's packing her things... very slowly. Almost deliberately slowly. George tilts his head. "You look like you want to say something."

She straightens up from her desk, regards him critically. He doesn't know what she's looking for. Finally she says, "Have you been texting him?"

"Alex? Yeah, just." He thinks carefully - he's pretty sure Alex and Schuyler are friends, but that doesn't mean Alex wants her to know everything about this situation. "He was keeping me updated on his health, I was keeping him updated on... Jefferson's, uh, existence. And presence."

She still has that look on her face. Like she's searching his for something.

He tries not to sound annoyed. "What?"

" _That_ ," she says, and points to the door Alex fled through, "is a _bad_ idea."

It clicks. He actually, physically takes a step back from her, raises his hands defensively. "I - what? No. _No_. That is - that is _not_ an idea."

"You're calling him Alex."

"I - _you_ call him Alex!"

"I've known him for years. And you've known _me_ for years, and you still call me Schuyler. It's a _bad idea_ , Wash."

"Nothing is happening!"

"I believe that you believe that," she says, arms folded. "And I even believe that _he_ believes that. But things happen – _fast_ , things happen suddenly and without warning when they involve Alexander Hamilton, okay? Just. Be careful. I'll see you tomorrow."

And then she's out the door.

George stands stock still for probably a full minute and then shakes his head, clears it of the shocked daze rooting him to the spot. He turns the lights off, locks up, and goes home. Refuses to even go over the phone conversations, look for any signs of - of _anything_ , because just doing that would mean admitting to the possibility of –

Nothing is _happening_.

**Author's Note:**

> I DON'T EVEN ACTUALLY SHIP THIS, i scream into the void, as i continue to ship this
> 
> btw I seriously appreciate all the comments and kudos and bookmarks and stuff, i. did not expect people to enjoy this series so much and it makes me happy that you do!


End file.
